Morning journal and courier., 1887-01-25
DIED YESrRRDAY.

Hartford Loses a Leading Citizen.
Mr.. Mark Howard, a leading man of
Hartford, died yesterday morning, aged 70
years. He was born in Kent England. For
the best portion of his life he has been iden-
tilted with the insurance interests of Hartford
and contributed greatly to the stability of
that interest.
He was president of the National Fire In
suranoe company of Hartford, one of the
organizers of the Republican party and the
first internal revenue collector of his district.
He was emphatlcally a self-made man. In
his early life lie lived in Michigan, his
parents being residents of that State. He
founded a newspaper in Ann Arbor and was
clerk of the branches of the Michigan legis-
lature He was fearless, outspoken man in
politics and in business, scorning mean and
petty actions. He was ever resolute to act,
his first consideration being "Is it right?"
He was an honest man and a true gentleman.
One of his master strokes was in 1849 at
the time of the great st. Louis fire. Both
the Protection and the Etna suffered very
severely there. The companies in those days
had small cash capital and depended on the
notes of the shareholders. It was seriously
in contemplation then to give up these con-
Germs entirely-let them die failures by
reason of these St. Louis losses. Mr.. How
ard showed his courage and sagacity by
QonOunclnR any SUCH pOllcy auO nn6lly ne
persuaded the managers to let him go out
there and settle the losses. It was at the
peril of his life that he went, for the chol
era was raging there fearfully, people were
dying by the score daily, and everything
was in disorder. His appearance on the
scene with money and ready to settle losses
revived hope among the people and inspired
immense confidence in Hartford insurance.
This has been regarded by all students of
fire insurance as one of the crises in the his
tory of business in Hartford. Mr.. Howard
had been in feeble health for ten years past.
He leaves a wife, sister of Mr.. William 81.
Lee of New York, three daughters, one Mrs.
Morgan w. Beach, the others unmarried and
a son, William Lee Howard.
Death of Miss Carrie Adelaide Phelps.
Miss Carrie Adelaide Phelps, the singer,
died yesterday forenoon at the home of her
mother, 1,187 Chapel street. She had been
i'll for about two weeks with neuralgia of the
heart and during the past week her suffering
had daily become more intense. Miss Phelps
was Twenty-Five years old. She quite early
developed remarkable alto voice. Her
first public notice as singer was when she
appeared in the College street church choir.
From this church she went to Trinity church
choir, the quartette being composed of Mrs.
A. Il. Robertson, J. Sumner Smith, Henry
D. Bryan and herself, Charles S. Elliot be-
ing the organist and musical director. She
was in the quartette five years, leaving in
1881. In 1882 she engaged as alto of the first
quartette, there being twelve voices in the
choir After 1885 she sang at the Church of
the Holy Spirit on Madison avenue, New
York, for one year, where she received fresh
encomiums and made marked impression.
Miss Phelps spent year and half at Paris,
France, in perfecting her musical studies, and
while there sang at the American chapel.
During the past seven years she has been a
member of the synagogue on Court street,
where her lovely voice was one of the marked
features of the Jewish sacred music.
She sung the part of Siebel in the opera of
''Faust," produced here by Thomas g. Shep-
ard three years ago, for the benefit of the
Yale navy, and also in "Penikeese" two or
three different times She has also sung in
little operas and operettas here, such as
ssMistress and Maid" She also was a mark
ed success in amateur theatricals at Long
Branch one summer, before refined and
wealthy audiences. She had also sung at ST.
Paul's church since the late reorganization
of the choir there. Here it was that she was
heard for the last time. When q few Sun
days ago she was unable to sing it was with
much sadness that the report was heard
among the members of the congregation that
affection of the heart, and that it
was doubtful if her sweet, pure
and lovely voice would be heard
in public more. 1t was only by nerving her
self to the effort that her fine voice was
heard at St. Paul's in the Christmas music,
and although the effort was great it was in
accordance with her wish that she appeared
and the effort seemed to afford her sad
satisfaction Her death will be regretted by
thousands in our city, who are no strangers
to her vocal talent, and many who knew her
intimately will miss her.
The deceased lady leaves mother, who
lives on Chapel, above High street. one
had brother, Yale graduate, afterward
a New Jersey lawyer, who died five years
ago.